Wrackspurts
by JMilz
Summary: When trying to cure Neville Longbottom of a nasty case of Wrackspurts, Luna accidentally brews a potion that explodes and gives her amnesia. Desperate to help her remember their relationship, Neville looks for cures and tells her about their history.


Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom each had a beer in hand as they waited for their good friend, Hermione Granger. The bar was dimly lit and reeked of goat, but that was not out of the ordinary. In fact, the couple preferred the quiet, smelly pub over its nearby competition, the Three Broomsticks. It was much more comfortable.

"We really ought to take care of those Wrackspurts of yours, Neville," Luna murmured. She took a frothy sip of beer and tucked her wintry blonde hair behind her ear. "You know, if you leave them for too long they could lead to irreversible brain damage."

Neville's eyes widened. "You never told me _that_ before! I thought they just made your brain fuzzy!"

Luna absently took another sip. "Well, there haven't been many studies on it, but some older witches and wizards claim they were never quite right again after having them a long while. Usually, they'll go away after a dose of that potion I brewed you last Tuesday, but it seems you still have quite a lot of them left."

"So we need the stronger potion, like you said," a slightly drunk Neville decided. "Is it possible?"

"Anything is possible," she replied, airily. "I suppose we would need more Wiggentree bark."

"I have loads of Wiggentree bark at the house!" Neville exclaimed. "Fresh too!"

Several of the smarmy wizards and witches in the pub looked their way, sneers on their faces as they saw the two members of the famous Dumbledore's Army.

"We may be able to get rid of those Wrackspurts faster than we thought, then," Luna said, thoughtfully.

* * *

The fireplace crackled in Neville's small cottage in Godric's Hollow. After becoming an Auror, the wizard left his grandmother's house and decided to live on his own. Luna was enamored by the tiny home, as it was a cozy place to sit and read books about her favorite magical creatures. It was much less chaotic than her father's house.

Luna ran her pale fingertips along the ingredients lining the closet in what was meant to be a spare bedroom. Instead of furnishing the room, Neville had filled it with plants and a number of enchantments to help them grow.

"I've never seen so much Baneberry in one spot," Luna whispered, running her hands over the carefully sealed apothecary jars. "I see almost everything I'll be needing to work on the potion."

"That's great, then!" he exclaimed. "The faster we can get rid of the bloody things, the better!"

Luna rubbed her chin. "Well, there is _one_ thing I haven't found."

Neville peered over her shoulder, still a bit buzzed from their evening at the Hog's Head. "And what's that?" He was almost offended by her statement. Ever since he had left Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he had spent all of his time collecting and growing the rarest plants. If there was one that he did not have, he would need to find it as soon as he possibly could.

"Acromantula venom," Luna replied, matter-of-factly. "I do suppose I could try using Venomous Tentacula leaf as a substitute. I've never tried it before but we need a venomous property."

"Venomous?" Neville asked, unsurely. "Are you sure you know what you're doing, love?"

Luna started grabbing apothecary jars and tucking them in the crook of her arm. "Don't you trust me, Neville?"

As he watched her pick out ingredients, he questioned whether he did or not, but he did not have the heart to tell her. She gazed at him with her dreamy eyes, eager to cure him of his Wrackspurt problem.

"Of course I trust you, pumpkin," he replied, nervousness pulling at the corners of his lips.

She gave him a soft smile. "I'll be needing a cauldron and a ladle, then."

* * *

The burnt umber potion bubbled as Luna stirred it, quietly. She had been concocting the mixture for nearly an hour, slowly adding ingredients and carefully monitoring its color and demeanor. Perspiration had formed at Neville's brow as he watched her work, worried about consuming the copious amounts of Venomous Tentacula leaf.

"Did you know Draco Malfoy was at the Hog's Head earlier?" Luna said, distantly. "In the corner, hiding behind the large man that drank that entire bottle of firewhisky."

Neville furrowed his brow. "He was spying on us? Do you think he's gone back to—"

"Not spying on us, no," Luna cut him off, dropping in flakes of Wiggentree bark. "He was watching Hermione. He likes her, you know."

Surprised, Neville inquired, "And how do you know that?"

She gave him a small, knowing smile. "Eyes say a lot about a person, Neville. I think most people just aren't paying attention."

Before Neville could ask any more questions, the potion began sparkling furiously. It spat at Luna, dripping down her face. Frazzled, she stirred it and quickly added more iguana blood, desperate to slow the bubbling. Unfortunately, it continued, only spitting more of the mixture at her. Luna wiped it from her face with her sleeve.

"Maybe you should take it off the heat," Neville suggested.

Luna shook her head. "It has to be left on the heat or it won't work. I just need to get it to stop bubbling."

The rolling boil continued, only bubbling faster. Looking for the solution, Luna rifled through the dozens of apothecary jars and vials beside her. Suddenly, she saw the dried nettles. She grabbed the jar and sprinkled them into the cauldron, convinced that it would slow the process.

Then, the potion started hissing and whistling. Mortified, Luna quickly dumped in more Honeywater, but before she could even put the vial down, there was a loud rumble and the potion caught on fire. Neville let out a yelp as Luna cast out the flame beneath the cauldron.

He stood up. "_Aguamenti!_" he shouted, pointing his wand at the fiery potion.

Suddenly, the potion exploded, sending Luna backward. The chair fell and Luna hit her head, the brown potion all over her face and her robes. Terrified, Neville rushed to her side. Her eyes were closed as she lay there, motionless, her legs tangled under the weight of the chair. Neville heaved the chair off of her and shook her.

"Luna!" he shouted. "Luna!"

Her eyes remained closed, but he could see her chest rising and falling. She was still breathing. Distraught, he cast every spell that he knew to revive her.

"_Rennervate!_"

She lay there, still unmoving.

"Please wake up," he whispered, tears forming in his eyes. "Please, Luna!" He shook her again before casting another spell. It was not until his tenth try that he found success.

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him, her teeth white against her ashen face. "_Hmm_, strange. I don't recall lying down on the floor."

Neville let out a sigh of relief. "You were working on the potion to get rid of my Wrackspurts but it—it backfired. It was on fire and I blasted some water at it and—"

"Not to be rude, but I'm not sure where I am," she said, breathily, taking in her surroundings. "Where is my father?"

Confused, Neville reminded her, "You're at my house, Luna—in Godric's Hollow. Were you really that drunk? You didn't seem it."

"Drunk?" Luna asked, getting to her feet. "I haven't had anything to drink. I was at my father's house until—well, until I woke up here with you. Where is my father? Did he bring me here?"

Neville stood, his brow wrinkled. "No, you and I went to the Hog's Head to meet with Hermione and—"

"Hermione Granger?" she inquired, thoughtfully. "I've heard that name. She's quite clever, isn't she?"

Suddenly, it became clear to Neville what had happened. When she hit her head on the floor, the girl that he loved had lost her memory. Unsure what to do, he stared at her for a moment, studying her face. It was still stained black from the explosion, with ends of her blonde hair singed and frayed. He had seen Seamus Finnegan in such a state many times, but never his beloved Luna.

"Luna, do you know who I am?" he asked, warily.

After narrowing her eyes and looking at him for a long moment, she finally shook her head. "I don't suppose that I do. Are you a friend of my father's?"

He sized her up, slowly. "Something has happened, Luna. Your memory—it—it isn't what it should be. Do you know any spells that fix that?"

She tilted her head. "Are you saying that I have amnesia?"

"It sure seems that way. About the spells—do you know any? I-I can help. I just need the spell, or a potion—anything really."

Luna closed her eyes, thinking as hard as she could. She recalled some of her time at Hogwarts, but she could not recall a cure for amnesia. Finally, she shook her head. "I don't think so."

Neville drew in a long, concerned breath. "Okay, don't panic. I'm going to fix this." His feet carried him to the bookshelf in the adjacent living room. Luna craned her neck, leaning against the dining room table as she watched him rifle through the many books that were there. Once he had a pile of spell books and potion books, he rushed back to the dining room table and dropped them there with a loud thud.

"It's funny," she started. "I don't feel like there is anything wrong with me."

Neville leafed through the first spell book, a lump in his throat. A million questions plagued his mind as he dreaded the worst possible outcome. Luna, however, remained calm, a small smile on her face as she observed him, intently.

"Everything's going to be fine, love," he assured her, even though he could not be confident that he was telling the truth.

"'Love'?" she questioned, thoughtfully. "Do you call everyone that?"

He was halfway through the book, but he still had not seen any spells that could be helpful. "Well, we've been dating for some time now."

She watched him, her gaze glassy and curious. "I suppose I ought to know your name, then."

"Oh," he said, sadly, "it's Neville." He never thought that he would have to introduce himself to her again.

"Neville," she repeated, nodding. "Neville what?"

"Longbottom," he murmured, distractedly, closing the first spell book and setting it aside. He delved into the first potion book, eager to cure her as quickly as he could.

"Well, Neville Longbottom, could I possibly have a goblet? I'd like some water."

The mention of water made Neville wince, as he knew that the addition of water triggered the explosion. Nevertheless, he nodded. "Top left cupboard in the kitchen. Just there." He pointed to the archway that led into the small kitchen.

Luna skipped into the room, still clueless but comfortable. She reached in the cupboard, retrieved a goblet, and waved her wand. The transparent elixir of life coated her dry throat and she let out a sigh of relief.

She took a moment to look around the room, keen to remember coming into the cottage. The more that she looked, the more that it became apparent that she recalled nothing. Realizing that her efforts were futile, she waltzed back into the dining room to sit down beside Neville. Sweat ran down his forehead as he flipped through pages, frantic to find a cure.

"Tell me how we met, Neville," she said, suddenly, resting her chin in her hand.

Flustered, Neville quickly replied, "Through Ginny Weasley. She introduced us in my fifth year. It would've been your fourth."

"I know Ginny."

Neville eyed her as he turned to the next page of the potion book. "What _is_ the last thing you remember? You said you were at your father's."

Luna narrowed one eye and looked up at the ceiling with the other, a thoughtful finger pressed against the side of her chin. "Well, I was with my father at our house, like you said. He had just finished an article and we were getting ready to pack."

"Pack for what?" Neville asked, stopping at a page but deciding against the potion that he had discovered. It only worked on memory charms, not accidents.

"School," she replied, airily. After a long drink of water, she continued. "Third year, but I suppose if you are telling me the truth, I must be older than that. You seem a little big for a thirteen-year-old—unless you are half-giant of course."

"Third year?" he repeated in disbelief. "Merlin, that's _forever_ ago!"

"Is it?" she asked, softly.

"Luna, we're _out_ of school."

"Hmm, well that is interesting," she said in her normal, breathy tone, swinging her legs. Deep in her thoughts, she withdrew for a moment, hoping to remember Neville Longbottom or the small house she found herself inside. Defeated, she decided to simply ask. "Neville, can you tell me more about us?"

Still preoccupied, Neville wanted her to rest and wait for him to find the cure. However, he could not be mad. She had always been the curious type, and it was one of the many reasons that he loved her. Deep down, he knew that he was too boring for her to stay with him forever, but he was not ready to lose her yet.

"Well, I suppose we were friends for a long time," he explained, slamming the second book on top of the first. He opened a third and leafed through the long table of contents. "We fought in Dumbledore's Army with Ginny, Hermione, Harry Potter—"

"Harry Potter?" she inquired, her already high-pitched voice increasing an octave. "I didn't know that I knew Harry Potter. Are we friends with him, then?"

"I suppose so," Neville murmured, speedily turning pages until he reached the "Potions for the Mind" chapter. "Anyway, after we killed You-Know-Who—"

"We killed You-Know-Who?"

Neville nodded, proudly. "I took some part in it. After that, the school was kind of in shambles so no one finished the year out. I became an Auror and you started staying at your dad's, reading books about magical creatures and the like. You spend more time here, though. Something about it being quieter."

"That's nice," Luna noted, questions in her tenor. She crossed her arms on the table and rested her face on top of them. "You said that we are dating? I'd like to hear more about that."

Defeated, Neville closed the third book and rubbed his temples. "I'm going to find the cure and you'll remember all of it in no time."

"You know, if you _do_ have Wrackspurts, you shouldn't stress yourself out so much. They can multiply that way."

"Luna, I don't _care_ about the Wrackspurts. I just want to help you get your memory back."

She fixed her posture and put a soft, pale hand on his. "You know, most cases of amnesia go away on their own. I don't think you'll find a potion to help, but maybe if you tell me more, you can help me start to remember."

Sadly, Neville looked up at her. He could not escape her inquisitive gaze. "Well, Luna, I reckon we'll do it your way, then."

Luna nodded, encouraging him to continue. Neville delved deep into the memory, eager to tell her everything that he remembered.

_The Battle of Hogwarts was over and emotions were running amok. Tears and embraces lined the walls of the historic school, and just like everyone else, Luna and Neville were seated beside each other, finding comfort in one another's company._

_ "__It's finally over," Neville breathed. "We'll never have to see him again."_

_Luna nodded. "It is fortunate timing, isn't it? We're old enough now that we can live normal lives without worrying so much."_

_Neville looked at her, wondering how she could be thinking so far ahead. "You have plans, then?" _

_She gave him a small smile. "I think I'd like to see a Demiguise in person at least once."_

_ "__What's a Demiguise?"_

_Luna raised her brows. "It surprises me that you've never heard of them. They can make themselves invisible, you know, so they're quite hard to find. Their fur actually is how Invisibility cloaks are made. They're mostly found in Asia."_

_Neville nodded, still unsure how her focus was on a faraway creature when she had just witnessed the fall of Voldemort. Nevertheless, he admired her for it. The breathy girl was always able to take the worst things in stride._

_ "__What about you, then?" she asked, tilting her head. "What plans do you have?"_

_He sighed. "Well, I'd like to get into Herbology somehow. Maybe not right away, but eventually."_

_ "__You've always been quite good at it."_

_She studied him for a long while. There was a certain nervousness about the way that he sat beside her, but she chalked it up to the emotions surrounding them. Then, on a whim, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. His eyes widened in surprise. He had been enamored by Luna for years, but never did he expect her to return the interest._

_She pulled away and smiled. "Curious. I enjoyed that more than I thought I would."_

"So we've been together since then?" Luna asked.

Neville shook his head. "Not exactly. I really just thought you were worked up from everything that'd happened. If I'm being honest, I didn't think you liked me much."

"But I kissed you."

"Everyone was kissing. I'm pretty sure I saw professors kissing. It was a pretty emotional day, Luna. Hell, Ron and Hermione kissed and they really haven't talked since."

"Ron?"

"Ginny's brother."

Luna nodded. "She has a lot of brothers, doesn't she?"

"Well, she did lose one of them. A lot of people died that day."

"That's quite sad."

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Tell me more about us, then—about how it happened in the end."

_It took Neville weeks to convince Kingsley Shacklebolt that someone needed to protect Luna Lovegood after the Battle of Hogwarts was over. With Death Eaters still at large, he worried that they would try and take Luna again. Harry and Ron had taken on a number of other important jobs, meaning that he was the best candidate for the job. His heart fluttered as he thought about spending more time with the beautiful blonde witch. _

_Nervously, he knocked on the front door of the Lovegood home. A tall, blonde man with dark eyes and a gaunt face cracked it open, narrowing his eyes. "Who sent you?"_

_ "__The Ministry," Neville replied. "I'm Neville Longbottom. Auror, sir."_

_ "__They told me you would be coming." He pointed his wand at the lanky adolescent. "How do I know you aren't an imposter?"_

_ "__I-I—"_

_ "__What house is Luna in?" he demanded to know, pressing the wand against Neville's forehead._

_ "__Ravenclaw!" Neville exclaimed._

_Xenophilius lowered his wand and slowly opened the door. "My apologies. We must still remain vigilant while there are Death Eaters at large. I cannot risk my little Luna."_

_Neville fixed his robes and stepped inside the rook-shaped house. "Of course not. That is why I'm here."_

_Xenophilius locked the door behind him. "Luna is just there in the sitting room. I'll be in my study. I'd like to remain undisturbed, if that is manageable?"_

_ "__Of course, sir."_

_It was clear that Azkaban had taken a toll on Luna's father. His already-slim figure had grown slimmer, his shirt just barely brushing over his bones. His face was sunken and his eyes were glassy; it was almost like all of the joy in his life had been sucked from him. As he retreated to his study, Neville turned his attention to the humming girl in the sitting room. A small smile was on her lips as she turned the page of a book titled _A Complete Guide to Nifflers_._

_Neville leaned against the archway of the room, fixated on the stunning girl. He had adored her for years, hoping that one day she would return the feelings that he had for her. She had kissed him after the Battle of Hogwarts, but he was positive that she did not mean anything by it. His love for her was validated in that strange moment, yet he was too afraid to tell her. Instead, they went their separate ways. He had not seen her in months; he imagined the time had created a gap in their once strong friendship._

_ "__Hello, Neville," she said without looking up. "Lovely to have you here."_

_Neville's ears went scarlet. "Lovely to be here." He walked into the room and sat beside her on the sofa. "How have you been?"_

_ "__I've been well. Your ears are red, you know."_

_His ears' hue only deepened. He cleared his throat. "Some light reading, then?"_

_Luna smiled. "It's about Nifflers. They're quite fascinating creatures, really. The author wrote another book about the Demiguise. I'd like to read that one next, but I haven't been able to find it in my father's library."_

Luna was listening to Neville, dreamily. "I do remember reading that book about the Demiguise."

Hope washed over Neville. "It's working, then?"

"Perhaps. Tell me more, please."

He grinned and nodded, hoping that Luna's method was going to renew the memories that she lost.

_Flourish and Blotts was nearly sold out of the book that Neville had been searching for, but fortunately, he was able to find the very last copy. Nervously, he knocked on Luna's bedroom door, hoping that she would appreciate his efforts._

_ "__You can come in, Neville," she said through the door._

_Neville opened the door and waggled his fingers at her, the book tucked under his other arm. "How'd you know it wasn't your father?"_

_She looked up over the book her nose was buried in. "My father knocks twice. You knock three times."_

_Sitting at the end of her bed, Neville held out the book for her. "I-I got you something."_

_Luna marked her page and set _From Nargles to Werewolves _aside on her nightstand. She reached out and accepted the book in Neville's grasp. As she looked at the cover, her eyes lit up. "You found it."_

_He nodded, his face red. "Yes, well, someone as lovely as you deserves anything that they want."_

_Tilting her head, Luna inquired, "You're red again, you know."_

_With a spark of preplanned bravery, he finally spoke the words he had meant to speak since his sixth year. "Sometimes you get red around special people, Luna, and well—I-I think you're special. Very special."_

_She smiled at him. "Well, aren't you sweet."_

_Neville frowned. He was not sure what she meant. "I mean, I suppose that I like you quite a lot. If I could take you on a date somewhere, it would be safe, I mean—you don't have to. If you want, maybe I can take you looking for some kind of—I don't know—creature or something?" He stumbled on his speech. It was not at all what he had planned to say._

_To his surprise, Luna leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "That sounds like quite a lot of fun, Neville. Thank you for asking."_

_With his jaw agape, he stared at her for a long moment. Rather than acknowledge his embarrassing stare, she opened _A Complete Guide to the Demiguise _and enveloped herself in new facts._

"So, I suppose that's where it started," Neville breathed, eager for Luna to rekindle the fond memory.

"I did quite like that book. I think I'd still like to see a Demiguise someday."

"So you remember?" Neville asked, nervously, reaching for the fourth book, just in case.

Luna racked her brain. After a long moment, she shook her head. Sadly, Neville opened the book and started searching for a spell to help her. After all, the potion may not have exploded if he had not cast the water spell. He had to find the cure; he owed it to her.

"Your brain _must_ be full of Wrackspurts," Luna noted. "You're quite distracted."

"I'm trying to cure you, Luna," he replied, exasperated. "Obviously, your method didn't exactly work so I'm trying a different way."

"Well, if you need to focus better, I could try brewing the potion again—"

"Absolutely not!" Neville exclaimed.

"I would be careful."

He gave her a dark look and shook his head.

She filled her glass with some more water and took a drink, watching him as he pawed through the spell book. He would not be so desperate to help her if he did not care. Luna had always been the observant type, and as she watched Neville, it became more and more obvious that he wanted nothing more than to cure her of her amnesia.

"Well, maybe this will work," Neville mumbled. "A mind-sharpening spell. Do you mind if I try it on you?"

Luna smiled. "Sure. Maybe you can teach it to me and I can help you with those Wrackspurts."

Neville ignored the second half of her sentence and drew his wand. He was hardly concerned about the Wrackspurts anymore.

"_Manifesta cerebri!_" he shouted, flicking his wand.

Luna stared blankly at him.

"Do you remember anything _now?_"

With a contentedness etched into her face, she said, "I'm not sure that I do, but I do believe you, Neville."

Though many thought Luna was not as intelligent as many of her schoolmates, she was a better judge of character than most. She knew that Neville was telling her the truth, whether she remembered it or not.

"Damn it!" he cursed, leafing through the pages again. "There has to be _something_ in here!"

Luna touched his arm. "Stop worrying so much. My brain just needs some time to rest. Unlike Wrackspurts, amnesia goes away."

He turned to her, studying her deep, telling eyes. "You didn't deserve this."

She smiled and pecked his cheek with a strong sense of resolve. Perhaps she did not know the details, but she knew that for some reason, she cared for the man that was working so hard to cure her. With time, she would remember. Right then, she knew that all she needed was to be with the person sitting beside her. "Neville, I've always been the type to move forward, not backwards. Let's just try that for now."

Neville drew in a deep breath and nodded. "I love you, Luna. I hope you'll love me again too."

She brushed her hair from her face and pointed at her cranium. "I suppose somewhere inside of there, I do. You'll just have to remind me why for a little while."

He smiled and kissed her lips. "I suppose I can do that."

* * *

**Author's Note:** This is a side-story to Wreck, my ongoing Dramione fanfiction. This is set within the time period of one of the flashbacks. Check it out and enjoy!


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